A major road collapse occurred on Tuesday evening on the road connecting Estreito da Calheta and Jardim do Mar.
By lunchtime on Wednesday the Regional Government, through the Regional Directorate of Roads, already had a team on the ground assessing the effects of the collapse. According to local newspaper JM, a specialised team will clean the escarpment, in order to remove any unstable debris that may constitute a future threat.
Later that same day, the same source explained that the road had been reopened on a temporary basis whenever the removal work allowed, in order to minimise disruption to local businessmen, traders and members of the public.
Currently, work on the “Prevention and Mitigation of the Risk of Landslides on the escarpment on ER223 – Estreito da Calheta / Jardim do Mar – Phase A” is underway, with a view to improving safety conditions for the users of the ER 223 between Estreito da Calheta and Jardim do Mar.
This work, which started in October 2020, is considered “of extreme relevance for the safety and protection of the local population, and of all those who daily visit the localities of Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar, including residents and tourists.
The Regional Secretary for Equipment and Infrastructure, Pedro Fino, stressed that “it is precisely to prevent and reduce the effects of this type of occurrence that this project was launched and as such is considered by the Regional Government to be of extreme priority and importance in safeguarding and protecting the population and all road users.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
